16. Hand knitting and knitting machines

New words and word-combinations to be remembered:

needle голка

spring beard needle гачкова голка

latch needle язичкова голка

circular machine кругла в'язальна трикотажна машина

flat machine плоска машина з горизонтальною голечницею

fully-fashioned виготовлений за відповідною формою

The process of forming fabrics by looping a thread may be performed either by hand with knitting wires or by means of a machine luovided with needles.

Knitting is one of the most important inventions of man, the first loim of knitting being of course hand knitting. We do not know who Invented it, neither do we know when it was invented nor in what country.

Machine knitting is known to be first practiced in the second half of the 16th century.

The distinctive feature of the knitting machine is the knitting needle. It is the needles, their placement and manipulation that loop to varn, forming a knitted fabric. In machine knitting of every kind, there must be a needle for every loop and therein lies the difference between machine and hand knitting. There are two principal types of kinding needles, the "spring beard needle" and the "latch needle".

I here are two kinds of knitting machines: circular and flat. The riming machine has the needles arranged in a circle and naturally modules л circular or tubular fabric, such as stockings, underclothing, bathing suits, etc. The flat machine has the needles arranged in a straight line. The action being from side to side and consequently produces a flat fabric with edges.

On this machine also is made the class of articles known as "fully-fashioned". They are made to the shape of the body. At first they are made in separate pieces and afterwards joined up without the waste which would be entailed in cutting. The edges of the fabric have special loops which can easily be joined together by a thread of the same color as the garment. This method is, however, somewhat costly.

Both circular and flat machines are equipped with one of the two types of needles — latch needles or spring needles. Knitting chines have been so improved that fabrics produced on them may have practically all the desirable characteristics of woven goods, with the advantage of cheaper production, because they can be made four or five times as quickly and therefore labour and costs are less per unit.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the distinctive feature of the knitting machine?

2. What is the difference between machine and hand knitting?

3. What is the difference between circular and flat knitting machi­nes?

4. With what needles are circular and flat machines equipped?

5. What is the advantage of knitted fabrics?

Speak on hand knitting and knitted machines:

— the distinctive feature of the knitting machine;

— two types of knitting needles: the "spring beard needle" and the "latch needle";

— two kinds of knitting machines: circular and flat;

— the circular machine produces a circular or tubular fabric;

— the flat machine produces a flat fabric with edges or "fully-fash­ioned";

— labour and costs are less per unit.

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